Reprographic devices are systems that operate as copiers and printers. In general, basic job programming on a reprographic device enables the reprographic device user to produce collated and uncollated sets of printed documents from a single N page input document. These sets are generally defined as follows:
Collated sets are X sets of page(s) [1, 2, 3 . . . N], printing an N page document with Quantity X selected and collation enabled will yield X complete sets of N page(s) each.
Example A: Job with a quantity of 3 having four simplex originals (1, 2, 3, 4) with Simplex and Collation enabled selected would yield:
A Simplex Output set of pages grouped as [1, 2, 3, 4]; [1, 2, 3, 4]; [1, 2, 3, 4,];
Example B: Job with a quantity of 3 having four simplex originals (1, 2, 3, 4) with Duplex and Collation enabled selected would yield:
Duplex Output set of pages grouped as [1/2, 3/4]; [1/2, 3/4]; [1/2, 3/4].
Uncollated stacks (i.e. X duplicates of page 1, (X) duplicates of page 2, (X) duplicates of page N. Printing an N page document with Quantity X selected and Uncollated (collation disabled) will yield X stacks of page 1, X stacks of page 2, . . . and X stacks of page N.
Example C: job with a quantity of 3 having three simplex originals (1, 2, 3) with Simplex and Uncollated selected would yield:
A Simplex Output stack of pages grouped as [1, 1, 1,]; [2, 2, 2]; [3, 3, 3];
Example D: job with a quantity of 3 having four simplex originals (1, 2, 3, 4) with Duplex and Uncollated selected would yield:
Duplex Output stack of pages grouped as [1/2, 1/2, 1/2]; [3/4, 3/4, 3/4].
Workflow software can offer a reprographic device user with a limited set of print job programming attributes, by way of the local UI, for collated or uncollated jobs. These attributes enable a single copy or print job resident on the system to be subdivided and printed with the same type of finishing applied to each subset.
What can be termed “Build Job” is software operable in some photocopiers that enables a user to scan (i.e. copy) documents in separate chunks, electronically collect and collate those scans before producing the printed output. Build Job is applicable to scan jobs and does not apply to print jobs. Build Job software does not support mixed subset finishing.
Subset finishing allows the user to program different types of finishing within a single job. In most systems, subset finishing can only be programmed in PostScript using the setpage device operator or by using the Variable Data Intelligent PostScript Printware (VIPP) or a subset-finishing command set offered on DocuTech copiers manufactured and sold by XEROX Corporation.
The limitation with current methods and system is that reprographic device users lack management over complex functions for mixed document print jobs including image orientation, output orientation, and staple control to give the reprographic device user what they desire as output on the first try.
Another problem with current methods and system is that waste is caused by experimental “cut and try” operations that are undertaken by reprographic device users before the proper mixture of system elements is found.
The problem with current methods and system is that they are unable to determine the proper image rotation which forces substrate orientation selections and finishing setup, especially where mixed documents are concerned.
What is needed are print systems and associated software methods improvements that eliminate the need of reprographic device users to scan documents from the document feeder or the manual document glass in separate chunks, and electronically collect and collate those scans before producing a single printed document output.